Demons
by SinclairWhite
Summary: Years after Hogwarts Hermione finds a horrible surprise waiting for her when she comes home for lunch, and is just as surprised to run into someone familiar on Westminster Bridge.


Hi everyone! This was inspired by Imagine Dragons' song Demons and it ended up a bit longer than I expected, as all my pieces of writing do. I also wasn't planning on the final section, but it sort of randomly happened, so if you just want Hermione and Draco to be friends, don't read "Much, Much Later". Thanks. :)

Disclaimer: These are the wonderful J. K. Rowling's characters and I certainly do not own them.

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><p>Demons<p>

Now

Hermione Granger ran out of the flat and into the biting cold air, tears already streaming down her face. She ignored Ron's voice as he shouted her name, refusing to turn around and see again the sight that had waited for her there, and had ripped her heart out. Once was enough, there could be no explanations, no apologies, no forgetting. She might forgive him in the fullness of time, but she would never forget, and it would loom over them, him, her, forever.

She didn't really know where she was going and she didn't care. Ron had given up a few metres out of the door, obviously lacking the courage to chase her down the street with only a sheet wrapped around him. Besides, if she was cold, he was probably freezing his precious parts off. That was a bit of an un-Hermione like thought, but she was so angry and hurt she thought it anyway. She pushed through the London crowds, ignoring the looks her tears and red eyes were receiving. She saw a glint of gold and headed towards that on a whim, ending up on Westminster Bridge on the Thames. Whatever had glinted was probably behind her now, unless it was something on Big Ben.

Hermione's tears had stopped and she looked up at the tower with red rimmed eyes, wrapping her arms around her body in an unconscious attempt to shield herself from the cold and the pain. The muggle Parliament really was a beautiful building, she thought. It was nice to live in a country and a city with such a rich history of culture and architecture. She had enjoyed her trips with her parents into other countries like France where they had a comparable history, but Britain was _home_. Home. That had been her home, too, but she would never be comfortable there again. All her hopes and dreams had shattered around her like a bullet piercing glass in one split second, and she could never go back. The tears were forming in her eyes again as she leaned against the railing of the bridge, feeling as though she had taken a bullet to the heart and thinking about how stupid and blind she had been. She thought she might have seen another glint of gold in the crowd as she turned away, her tears blurring her vision and creating strange effects in the light of the afternoon sun.

"Granger?" Someone said behind her, the voice filled with surprise. She recognized that voice. Her blood went cold and she wiped her eyes hastily before she turned to face the speaker.

"What do you want, Malfoy? Stopped to call me some nasty names?" She snapped.

"No," He shrugged, "Just surprised. What happened to you? The Weasel dump you?" He didn't hide his disgust when he mentioned Ron, but he wasn't sneering.

Hermione opened her mouth and closed it again. This was almost the most civil he had ever been to her, besides their first meeting on their very first trip on the Hogwarts Express ten years ago. She opened her mouth again to snarl a reply but she couldn't, she hurt too much. The pain of it all was overwhelming. It felt as though it was eating her from the inside, as though it was going to burst her chest and destroy her if she didn't bleed some of it out. Besides, she would never find someone more willing to abuse Ron, and if she ever thought she could put up with Malfoy, it was now.

"No. Well, yes, in a way. I was supposed to have a lunch meeting at the Ministry, but it was postponed. So I came home, thinking I'd have lunch there and surprise him...and...and..." She broke down into tears again, spinning to face the waters of the Thames. To her surprise he didn't laugh or gloat, but he leant against the railing beside her, facing the crowds but looking just over her head at the London skyline.

"I think I get the picture." He said quietly. She wondered if he was actually being sensitive to the fact that she was telling one of her biggest enemies her personal problems and she might not want to tell him, or that she might not want to talk about it at all. Or maybe he just didn't want to listen.

"I need to tell someone. I want to hide or pretend it didn't happen, anything to make the pain go away, but I can't hide the truth or hide from the truth." She took a deep breath and when he didn't say anything she forged on before the pain stopped her. "There were bottles and glasses and shot glasses on the table that hadn't been there when I left for work this morning. I...I heard them before I saw them, and I went to the door like I was on autopilot, opened it, and there they were. I don't know who she is or was, but I just stood there and then I turned and ran." She managed through her tears.

"He didn't come after you?" Malfoy asked. She was surprised he was being so nice. The part of her mind that always thought critically about everything also pointed out that he didn't ask what autopilot was.

"He stopped just outside the door. I guess it was too cold in his sheet or he didn't want to leave her." Hermione tried to give a nonchalant shrug, but it didn't fool Malfoy or her for that matter. She stared at the water as her tears ran all the way to her chin and from there dripped into the river, when she suddenly felt a hand on her arm and jumped back in shock.

"Sorry," Malfoy said, not looking at her.

"It's okay, it just surprised me." Hermione said, drying her face and leaning back on the railing beside him again. This new side of Malfoy was bewildering. For a split second confusion passed over his face, disappeared, and then a second later he replaced the comforting hand on her arm.

"I meant sorry about the Weasel. I never suspected he was quite so lacking in principles." He said sharply.

"Even to a mudblood like me?" Hermione said bitterly, impulsively glancing at the word carved into her arm. To her surprise he put his hand over the scars, hiding them from her view.

"I never said that. I..." He trailed off, looking over her head again. She watched his expression closely.

"What?" She prompted. His fingers twitched and tapped on her arm, betraying his nerves.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I've wanted to say that for years know. And I only started to call you that in the first place because I was expected to." Malfoy said angrily. They stood in silence for a while. His hand had stilled but he continued to look past her. Slowly she placed her other hand on top of his. He flinched, but he didn't pull away.

"Thank you, Malfoy. I thought or I hoped that was why you started, and it's nice to hear it." She said slowly.

He looked at her now, surprise in his features for a second, and met her eyes. She saw a flash of emotion, but as quickly as it was there he turned away again. Why wouldn't he look at her? She desperately wanted something to keep her mind off Ron, so she decided to try and work it out. Besides, it had been years since they left school and he had just apologized, maybe he had matured. It would be nice to be on neutral ground with him, even if they didn't become friends, so she tried the truth again, since it was working so far.

"Malfoy, it's alright. I forgave you years ago." She said. The warmth of his hand on her arm was strange and burned in her consciousness, especially on such a cold day. He looked at her and their eyes met. She saw suspicion and fear there, but possibly also hope. She tried to hold his gaze, but he suddenly became very interested in the Parliament buildings.

"Thanks, Granger. I never expected that from you." He said, closing his eyes as a cold breeze nipped at their skin and stirred their hair. She noticed he had stopped slicking it back and it looked more natural now.

"Your hair looks better that way." She said frankly. His brow furrowed and then he chuckled.

"Thanks. You look better when you haven't been trying to flood the Thames." He drawled with a grin, and though he still didn't look at her, she laughed.

"Malfoy, why won't you look at me?" She said, being bolder than she normally would have in an attempt to keep her mind completely focused on the immediate present, and not thirty minutes ago at the flat-focus! Malfoy twitched again and his eyes flicked to her before they went back to studying the architecture.

"Because I'm not a nice person, Granger, and it's hidden behind my eyes." He said bluntly.

Hermione was not going to accept this and she surprised him by turning and grabbing his head, forcing his face toward hers. He gave her a confused look and then focused on her ear while she stared at him intently. She was surprised he submitted to the scrutiny and didn't pull away, but he just stood there, bent a little, looking awkwardly past her. She studied his grey eyes for some time, thinking distantly that she liked the colour.

"Malfoy, I don't see anything to complain about." She said simply and now he pulled out of her grip, leaning on the rail again.

"It's the things I've seen and done, alright?" That was a let it alone kind of tone, she knew.

"Malf-Draco, listen to me. I know you didn't want to do the things you had to, and you didn't mean them. Merlin's beard, you just apologized to me. You know, Hermione Granger! And you're not the only one who has seen things. A lot of us were at that battle. We all have demons hiding behind our eyes, but we can either let them destroy our lives or we can refuse to let them control us." She said firmly. He had looked at her when she had used his name, even if his expression was still carefully blank. Finally, he nodded.

"Surprise, surprise, know-it-all Granger is right." He said with a drawl and a hint of a smile to let her know he was joking and she laughed, but then his face fell. "It's a wonder we don't all need counseling, especially Weaselbee. I didn't think he was quite that stupid. Are you sure someone didn't give him brain damage?" He growled. There was silence and he looked down. Hermione was still turned towards him but she was looking at the water again.

"I was doing so well forgetting, but I suppose the longer I leave it the worse the pain will be." She sighed, blinking away tears. Malfoy's face showed mild panic; he hadn't expected this reaction. He had just wanted the topic off his past as a Death Eater, but he had stumbled onto something worse.

"Hey, Grang-Hermione, if the Weasel was stupid enough to hurt you like this, he isn't good enough for you. And not coming after you? Sheet, towel, dish pan, or whatever, you run when you screw up." Malfoy said. She looked up when he used her name, just as he had when she had used his. He was actually smiling. She smiled back, and then she laughed as tears rolled from her eyes.

"Thanks, Malfoy. I guess you're right." She was not going to allow herself to believe this was somehow her fault, even if there was any conceivable way it could have been. He put a hand on her arm again.

"Call me Draco." He said, his eyes earnest.

"Only if you call me Hermione." She laughed.

"Deal." He grinned and then paused. Her eyes were still filled with tears and as the sun came out from behind a cloud, the light seemed to glow inside them. "Hey, Hermione, you know what I reckon? I reckon you need to have some fun. What do you say to blowing off whatever plans you had with that idiot and showing me London?" He grinned.

"You've never seen it before?" She said, laughing again at his boyish grin.

"Of course I have. But I've never been around with a friend. Come on, I might even let you drag me into a muggle bookshop. Also, what is autopilot?"

Red eyes or not, and that ridiculous hair, she was pretty and she had a nice laugh, Draco considered.

Stupid grin and spoiled git or not, he cheered her up and he really was handsome when he smiled, Hermione thought.

Later

"Harry?" Hermione said when there was a click on the other end of the phone line. "Hi, yes, I'm okay. Oh, yes, you heard, huh? Did he even-? Really, he checked _two _places? That was _some_ search. _Ouch_. No, I just couldn't stand it so I ran and I didn't go _to _anywhere, really. But, Harry, listen, you'll never believe who I met on the bridge. Westminster Bridge. I was standing there crying, when suddenly Malfoy comes up. No, Harry, really, he wasn't like that. He was actually nice, and he listened to me and made me laugh, and told me Ron was stupid to hurt me like that. Yes, Harry, I swear Malfoy said this. And he apologized. And then you know what? I promise you this actually happened. He hung out with me for the rest of the day. We went book shopping and wandered around town and then he took me to dinner at this really nice restaurant. Harry, I am really not making this up. I think I'm his friend now. I actually had fun today and he made me feel so much better about everything. Look at it this way, Ron, my friend of ten years and boyfriend of three didn't think I was worth being faithful to or running more than three metres after. But Draco Malfoy, former enemy, bully, and Death Eater, thought I was worth cheering up and spending the rest of the day with. Yes. You see what I mean now? I think there might actually be a nice guy under all the walls and the armour..."

Much, Much Later

Hermione smiled up at Draco, who gave her a boyish grin but didn't look any closer to giving her any hints about this surprise. He did lift her hand to his lips and gave it a light kiss. Her smile widened. She was glad he had talked her into this vacation with him. Paris was beautiful this time of year and he knew a lot about the city's magical history that she didn't. That was one of the things she loved about her boyfriend; how he could challenge her intellectually, make her think wider or from different angles, and how he seemed to know just as much as her. They had discussions. They talked. He didn't complain about her love of books, but encouraged it. Sure they argued sometimes, but who didn't? He made her feel like she was worth every second of his time, every smile, every laugh. In a strange way she owed it all to Ron. She and Draco considered that day they ran into each other on Westminster Bridge to be their first date, although neither of them had thought of it as that at the time. It had been the first of many. And Harry and Ginny had come around eventually and had come to tolerate Draco, and liked him now, even if they sometimes joked they didn't. It had been two years now and Hermione didn't think she had ever been or could ever be happier.

"Okay, look around, love." Draco said when they stopped, standing beside her. They were standing on the second, open platform halfway up the Eiffel Tower and they seemed to be the only ones there.

There was a bang, followed by a whistle, and she watched in delight as a firework shot into the air and exploded in a shimmering shower of light, reflected in the water around the tower. She felt Draco's arms around her and his cheek against her head as they watched the display. When it was over Hermione gave a contented sigh, looking out at the lights of Paris shining in the night. Her attention was drawn to the base of the tower, where lights were appearing and seeming to mill about. There were people, she saw. A lot of people and each held a candle, shuffling carefully into position and then looking up at the tower, their upturned faces glowing in the flickering light. They formed words. Hermione could hardly believe what she was seeing. Her breath caught in her chest and her heart beat abnormally fast as she turned slowly. Draco sank to one knee.

"Hermione Jean Granger, I love you with all my heart, do you think you could find it in yours to be mine?"

Hermione was too happy to answer. Her voice didn't seem to want to work as she beamed and tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. She settled for pulling him up and hugging him as tightly as she could. Finally she got her constricted throat to work.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She said, laughing.

Draco Malfoy smiled wider than she had ever seen him smile before and carefully slipped a ring onto her finger which sparkled in the candlelight. And then he cupped her cheek gently with one hand and kissed her with all his joy and his passion, his other hand in the small of her back, holding her tightly against him. When they broke apart they both glanced down at the crowd. Hermione couldn't believe he had set this all up for her.

"She said yes!" Draco called down to his helpers and a cheer rose up, making them both laugh. Draco pressed his forehead to hers and ran his fingers through her horrible, lovely, bushy hair. "You know, Hermione, my love, my dear, my fiancée, I am so glad I ran into you on the bridge that day."

"Me too, Draco. You changed my life, that day, beyond anything I could ever imagine, and I'm happier than I ever thought I would be. I love you, Draco Malfoy."

"...did you like my surprise?"

"Do you really have to do everything on this ridiculously grand scale?"

"I am a Malfoy, and it's only the best for me and my future wife. Besides, secretly you love it."

"You're lucky I love you."

"I know, my darling, and I promise you I will never forget it."

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><p>Thanks for reading and if you'd like, let me know what you think. :)<p> 


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